MTN STRONG

Project Fortius

Skiing, Multi-sport, Strength & Conditioning, Mobility, General Fitness
Coach
Leigh Ann Wolfe

MTN STRONG is for the mountain athlete who wants to crush all year round.

This is a year-round training program designed to prepare you for your mountain pursuits. When you're stronger and more fit for your outdoor sport, you can spend more time having fun, working on technique, or finding your flow state.

We have distinct phases that allow us to build and focus on specific athletic qualities. We also have distinct "maintenance" phases where we're trying to maintain specific athletic qualities while "in season." The MNT STRONG programming focuses on the athletic demands of skiing and mountain climbing (alpine approaches, trail running, hiking, alpine scrambling and climbing). This program does not take the place of technique work for skiing or climbing. However, it can be layered on top of sport specific technique training.

MTN STRONG offers two tracks in one team. There is a MAXIMAL and a MINIMAL track. The MAXIMAL track is for folks who have access to a full gym (free weights such as DBs, BBs and plates, KBs, Sandbags, etc.). The MINIMAL track is for folks who don't have access to a full gym and need to rely on bodyweight movements. There are also ALL sessions that are intented for both tracks to complete. These are mobility/stability sessions and single-modality aerobic sessions. One of the benefits of having two in one programs is that it gives you the flexibility to keep training even when you're traveling and don't have access to your usual set up.

Get it.

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Benefits of MTN STRONG
Increased durability, More resilient, Total body strength, Reduced risk of injury, Hammer back-to-back days
Features
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Access to your coaches
Coaches who will hold you accountable and provide the feedback you need to grow
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Programming 5 days per week
Daily strength, conditioning, and mobility/stability training that’s accessible and challenging for athletes of any level or background
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Mental Exercises
Structured mental training exercises to cultivate your inner strength
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Exercise Video Guidance
Instructional videos to guide your practice and make execution easy
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Detailed, expert instruction
Coaches who will hold you accountable and provide the feedback you need to grow
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Committed Teammates
A vibrant community that will keep you pushing to unlock your best
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Delivered through TrainHeroic
Your coaches and team will push you harder, know you better, and keep you going longer, all through an app.
Equipment
Required
Standard gym equipment - barbell, squat rack, DBs, KBs, etc.
Recommended
Vault/Irrigation box
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Sample Week
I will write fresh programming weekly. You’ll get notifications when they’re ready
Sunday
Ski Prep ALL: Block 1, Wk 1

A

Jog

1 x 40:00

B

MAF Method (Maximum Aerobic Function)

1 x 30:00 @ 6

C

Aerobic Threshold, Outdoor

D

Aerobic Threshold, Indoor

E

Aerobic Threshold, Heart Rate Drift, Indoor

F

Aerobic Threshold, Heart Rate Drift, Outside

G

Nasal breathing/Conversational Pace Running

1 x 30:00 @ 6

H1

Elevated Pigeon

1 x 2:00

H2

Quad Stretch

1 x 2:00

H3

Standing Hamstring Stretch

1 x 2:00

H4

Standing Calf Stretch

1 x 2:00

H5

Box Breathing

1 x 5:00

Monday
Ski Prep MAXIMAL: Block 1, Wk 1

Warmup

A

Perform 2x: 10 Air squats 10 total alternating lunges 2x Four square drill (may jump onto something to increase the difficulty) 5 Yoga push-ups with toe touches 3 Spiderman lunges with t-spine rotation (click the Tips button for videos and exercise explanations)

B1

Barbell Reverse Lunges

3 x 8

B2

Standing Arnold Press

3 x 8

B3

Neck Bridge (wall)

3 x 10 @ 8

B4

Quadruped Thoracic Rotation

3 x 4

Work Capacity #1

C

5 x 1 Mini Leg Blaster Complex, rest 30 sec - 1 min 1 mini leg blaster = 10x Air Squats 5x Lunges each leg, alternating 5x Jumping Lunges each leg, alternating 5x Jump Squats Rest 30 sec - 1 min Perform as quickly as possible, one exercise immediately after the other! Rest at the end of each set. Feel the BURN! We'll integrate these throughout the program in various complexes. If you've done these before, today is just a reminder on how to perform them. If you've never done these before, welcome to the burn! After you complete 5 sets, rest 2-5 min and then perform the Work Capacity #2

Work Capacity #2

D

For 10 min, perform the following movements at the top of each minute. This is referred to as an Every Minute on the Minute (EMOM) workout. Once you're done with performing the movements, rest the remainder of the minute. Your goal is to get roughly 30-40 sec of work and 20-30 sec of rest. Adjust the reps as needed by adding or subtracting a rep to/from each movement to get the desired work to rest ratio. 10 min EMOM of: * 10 Skaters, total - reach lower toward the ground to make these more difficult * 10 KB swings or 5 burpees or 7 squat thrusts Note: squat thrusts are a great option if you don't have stellar push-ups while under fatigue. They're just a burpee w/o the push-up. Choose the movement that makes the most sense for you.

E1

Bench Hamstring Curl

3 x 10

E2

Serratus Crunch

3 x 10

F

Power Athlete Cooldown Progression 2

Monday
Ski Prep MINIMAL:  Week 1 Day 2

Warmup

A

10 Air squats 10 Alternating lunges, total 2x Four square drill (may jump onto something to increase the difficulty) 5 Yoga push-ups with toe touches 3 Spiderman lunges with t-spine rotation (click the Tips button for videos and exercise explanations)

B1

Reverse Lunges

3 x 8

B2

Tempo Push Up

3 x 8

B3

Neck Bridge (wall)

3 x 10 @ 8

B4

Quadruped Thoracic Rotation

3 x 4

Work Capacity #1

C

5 x 1 Mini Leg Blaster Complex, rest 30 sec - 1 min 1 mini leg blaster = 10x Air Squats 5x Lunges each leg, alternating 5x Jumping Lunges each leg, alternating 5x Jump Squats Rest 30 sec - 1 min Perform as quickly as possible, one exercise immediately after the other! Rest at the end of each set. Feel the BURN! We'll integrate these throughout the program in various complexes. If you've done these before, today is just a reminder on how to perform them. If you've never done these before, welcome to the burn! After you complete 5 sets, rest 2-5 min and then perform the Work Capacity #2

Work Capacity #2

D

For 10 min, perform the following movements at the top of each minute. This is referred to as an Every Minute on the Minute (EMOM) workout. Once you're done with performing the movements, rest the remainder of the minute. Your goal is to get roughly 30-40 sec of work and 20-30 sec of rest. Adjust the reps as needed by adding or subtracting a rep to/from each movement to get the desired work to rest ratio. 10 min EMOM of: *10 Skaters, total - reach lower toward the ground to make these more difficult *5 burpees or 7 squat thrusts Note: squat thrusts are a great option if you don't have stellar push-ups while under fatigue. They're just a burpee w/o the push-up. Choose the movement that makes the most sense for you.

E1

Bench Hamstring Curl

3 x 10

E2

Serratus Crunch

3 x 10

F1

Box Breathing

1 x 5:00

F2

Power Athlete Cooldown Progression 2

Tuesday
Ski Prep ALL: Block 1, Wk Mobility/Stability

A1

Thread the Needle, Foam Roller

3 x 4

A2

T-hip Mobility

3 x 5

A3

The Blackburn Series

3 x 0:10

A4

90/90 Heel Clicks

3 x 5

A5

Spine CARs

3 x 4

A6

Ankle CARs

3 x 5

Tuesday
Ski Prep ALL: Block 1, Wk 1

Warmup

A

2-3x: 5 High knee with thoracic rotations per side 6 total Leg cradle lunge with lateral flexion & extension 5 Waiters bow 6 total Forward lunge to high knee (knee up, toe up!)

B

Run

1 x 40:00

C1

Elevated Pigeon

1 x 2:00

C2

Quad Stretch

1 x 2:00

C3

Standing Hamstring Stretch

1 x 2:00

C4

Standing Calf Stretch

1 x 2:00

C5

Box Breathing

1 x 5:00

Wednesday
Ski Prep MAXIMAL: Block 1, Wk 1

Warmup

A

Perform 2 rounds: 30-sec Low box lateral shuffle (a cinder block works great for this!) 3 Standing swimmers 3 Squat thoracic rotations per side 10 Band pull-aparts

B1

Front Foot Elevated Split Squat

3 x 8

B2

Inverted Row

3 x 10

B3

Weighted Lateral Neck Flexion

3 x 10

B4

Y+L Raise

3 x 5

Work Capacity

C

10x 20 Lateral Skiers (10 per side) 10-sec Isometric squat hold @ hardest height possible (ski tuck!) Rest 30 sec - 1 min Complete 1 round, rest 30-sec - 1 min. If you can handle hitting another round after 30-sec, do it! Challenge yourself and embrace the leg burn!

D1

Ironman Hold

3 x 0:30

D2

Single Arm DB Sit-up

3 x 5

D3

Copenhagens

3 x 0:20

D4

Plate Rotation

3 x 20

E

Power Athlete Cooldown Progression 1

Wednesday
Ski Prep MINIMAL: Week 1 Day 4

Warmup

A

2x: 30-sec Low box lateral shuffle (a cinder block works great for this!) 3 Standing swimmers 3 Squat thoracic rotations per side 10 Band pull-aparts

B1

Front Foot Elevated Split Squat

4 x 8

B2

Standing Band Row

4 x 12

B3

Weighted Lateral Neck Flexion

4 x 10

B4

Y+L Raise

3 x 5

Work Capacity

C

10x 20 Lateral Skiers (10 per side) 10-sec Isometric squat hold @ hardest height possible (ski tuck!) Rest 30 sec - 1 min Complete 1 round, rest 30-sec - 1 min. If you can handle hitting another round after 30-sec, do it! Challenge yourself and embrace the leg burn! This complex is HARD. Keep pushing through... As the weeks go by, this type of effort WILL get easier!

Strength/Power

D

Core Durability Circuit 1

Complete 3-4x, not for time: 30-sec Iron man hold 5 Single arm sit-ups per side (unweighted or weighted) 15-20-sec Copenhagen plank, knees bent (easier) or straight (harder) 10 Band rotations per side Keep moving at a steady pace. This isn't "for time" but it's not meant to have a lot of rest between movements.

E1

Box Breathing

E2

Power Athlete Cooldown Progression 1

Thursday
Ski Prep MAXIMAL: Block 1, Wk 1

Warmup

A

2x: 10 McGill curl-up (switch legs after 5 reps) 15-sec side plank per side 10 Bird Dog 6 Leg Cradle Lunge Twist w/ Drunk Step (3 per side) 6 High Knee Squat w/ Swinging Gate Note: the McGill curl-up is a VERY small movement. Don't try to make it bigger than it is! The first three core movements are activation drills.

Conditioning Circuit

B

Perform the following conditioning circuit for 4 rounds or 25 min, all while nasal breathing! No rest between rounds. This should be a sustainable pace for the entire time. 300m run 6 Sandbag get-ups (3 per side)* 5 Push-ups to down dog (video is yoga push-up) - each rep is 1 push-up + 1 down dog 16 Weighted (DB) walking lunges (8 per side) If you don't have a sandbag, either swap out for a regular Turkish Get-Up or load up a back backpack or duffel bag Perfect push-ups every rep! If your push-ups suck, lower yourself under control in a plank position and then drop to your knees for the concentric portion of the movement.

C1

Pallof Press

3 x 10

C2

Captain Morgans

3 x 6

C3

RKC Plank

3 x 0:20

D1

Elevated Pigeon

1 x 2:00

D2

Quad Stretch

1 x 2:00

D3

Standing Hamstring Stretch

1 x 2:00

D4

Standing Calf Stretch

1 x 2:00

D5

Box Breathing

1 x 5:00

Thursday
Ski Prep MINIMAL: Week 1 Day 3

Warmup

A

2x: 10 McGill curl-up (switch legs after 5 reps) 15-sec side plank per side 5 Slider Bird Dog with Toe Drag 6 Leg Cradle Lunge Twist w/ Drunk Step (3 per side) 5 High Knee Squat w/ Swinging Gate (5 total squats) - bodyweight only or lightweight Note: the McGill curl up is a VERY small movement. Don't try to make it bigger than it is! The first three core movements are activation drills.

Conditioning Circuit

B

Perform the following conditioning circuit for 4 rounds or 20 min, all while nasal breathing! No rest between rounds. This should be a sustainable pace for the entire time. 300m run 10 bodyweight get-ups (total) 5 Push-ups to down dog (video is yoga push-up) - each rep is 1 push-up + 1 down dog 16 total walking lunges (8 per side)

C1

Pallof Press

3 x 10

C2

Captain Morgans

3 x 6

C3

RKC Plank

3 x 0:20

D1

Elevated Pigeon

1 x 2:00

D2

Quad Stretch

1 x 2:00

D3

Standing Hamstring Stretch

1 x 2:00

D4

Standing Calf Stretch

1 x 2:00

D5

Box Breathing

1 x 5:00

Coach
coach-avatar Leigh Ann Wolfe

Over 10 years of experience training people in strength and conditioning principles. Works with a variety of people with diverse athletic, sport, and training backgrounds to help them accomplish their long-term goals. Specializing in working with "mountain athletes," specifically alpine climbers, mountaineers, trail runners, and skiers.

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MTN STRONG is for anyone who wants to be stronger in their outdoor pursuits. Join the team because we're stronger together.

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FAQs
Do I need access to a gym?
For the MAXIMAL track, yes - access to a commercial or home gym is necessary. We use standard gym equipment such as a barbell, DBs, KBs, resistance bands, and various other equipment. A "minimal" gym is plenty. For the MINIMAL track, all you need is yourself, some space, and a bit of grit.
I don't backcountry ski, is this program for me? (I ski resorts only)
Yes! You don't have to be a backcountry skier to benefit from the "Ski Prep" phase of the programming. We develop athletic qualities that are required for both resort and backcountry skiing.
Is this program good for someone who is "recreational" vs "athlete"?
Yes! No matter whether you consider yourself an athlete, a weekend warrior, or a total recreational user, if you participate in mountain sports at any level, you'll benefit from this program.
Don't have much of a background in strength training, is this for me?
Absolutely, but only if you're willing to learn. We have videos and instructions on how to execute every movement. Pro tip: If you encounter a new movement, take time to review it BEFORE your training session so that you're familiar with it by the time you start your session.
I Snowboard/Splitboard. Does this program apply to me in the winter?
Definitely. Even though they're different modes of travel, skiing and snowboarding require similar strength and stability. We have both skiers (downhill and backcountry), snowboarders, splitbaorders, and even neither on the team during the winter.
Who is this training for?
Anyone who enjoys long days on or in the mountains. We have all sorts of mountain athletes on our team: trail runners, hikers, alpine climbers, backcountry ski and snowboard, downhill ski, cross-country ski, peak baggers, etc.
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MTN STRONG
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MTN STRONG
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MTN STRONG
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